Dilemma in bullpen has no easy answers for Astros

When five relievers, including four rookies, took the mound Friday during the eighth inning of a 9-5 loss to the Rangers, the challenges of evaluating recent minor league talent at the major league level and running a stripped-down professional operation at the same time were brought to full light.

Four game-changing Rangers runs were recorded; two Astros making their major league debuts were reminded how difficult baseball is.

Blown saves galore

Less than 24 hours after watching the youngest club in the sport blow its 20th save this season, first-year manager Bo Porter acknowledged pregame Saturday he’d been presented with a unique situation with no easy or immediate answers.

Just five hours later, Porter was forced to watch another replay of the Astros’ “Same script, different day” season. The Rangers’ Elvis Andrus blasted a two-run, game-tying home run in the seventh inning off rookie reliever Kevin Chapman, turning a two-run Astros advantage into blown save No. 21 and a 5-4 loss.

“It’s very unique and I’ve never had this type of experience, whether it was (as a) player, coach or manager, of having that many guys with a limited amount of major league experience in one bullpen at one time,” Porter said.

Part of the bullpen futility has been by choice.

Closer Jose Veras, 32, and his team-leading 19 saves were dealt to Detroit three days before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Veteran Travis Blackley and his team-leading 14 holds were recently designated for assignment. Rookies Jose Cisnero and Paul Clemens alternated success with failure before returning to Class AAA Oklahoma City.

“They work together fine,” Porter said. “I haven’t seen any ill effects of their relationship from a standpoint — they both have unique qualities that they bring to the staff in order to help our guys in different ways.”

Wright lauds coaches

Martinez said he was unavailable to be interviewed following batting practice Saturday.

Wright credited his pitching coaches and a young crew adjusting to increased expectations with sticking together at the same time the group’s MLB-worst ERA (5.40) has worsened. Astros relievers are nearly a run above 29th-place Seattle and the seven-man unit had blown six of seven save attempts after Andrus’ shot into the Crawford Boxes.

The lone veteran

“(The coaches have) been very positive with us,” said Wright, who pitched in 131 games the last two seasons and has a 3.92 ERA this year. “It’s hard for them to be positive with us in tough situations like this. But they really went out of their way to be positive and give us a better outlook on how we can improve and make better pitches in different situations and just execute better.

“No one in the bullpen is trying to run away from their situation or is not willing to take the ball and I’ve been really impressed by that. Because a lot of times, people will say they’re injured. But these guys are taking the call every night.”

Former Astros ace and current Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan traded a New York Mets uniform for a California Angels cap in December 1971. By the spring of 1972, the 25-year-old righthander was surrounded by young arms on a revamped club. It took the Angels seven seasons to become a winner and Ryan recalls the pain.

Now, Ryan pairs with Jon Daniels to run Texas’ best baseball team, while the 324-game winner keeps an eye on a staff that’s pitched the Rangers to three consecutive playoffs.

In the Astros’ young and inexperienced bullpen, Ryan sees what Porter sees: a unique experiment with little time for private development and less room for error.

Ryan understands

“The emphasis is much higher on bullpens now than ever before,” Ryan said. “The Astros are asking a lot of young kids that don’t have that kind of experience to step up on a major league stage and there’s challenges there. With young players, you have a lot of inconsistencies because of the lack of experience, so that’s what they’re seeing.

“At the end of the year, their baseball department and Bo and their staff will have a better feel for what areas they’re going to need to strengthen.”